Alvin s



(No Mod-e1.) sheets-sheer 1. A. S. HAINES 8E W. BREIDENBACH.

MAIL BAG.

No. 374,300. Patented Dec. 6, 1887.

No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. S. HAINES & W. BRBIDBNBAGH.

MAIL BAG. No. 374,300. Patented Deo. 6.1887.

WITN ESSES:

By @wir my.

Nv PETERS. Phawu nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn a .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN S. HAINES, OF SLATINGTON, vAND WILLIAM BREIDENBACH, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA; SAID BREIDENBAGH ASSIGNOR TO SAID HAINES.

VlAlL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,300, dated December6. 1887.

Application filed November 4, 18,87. Serial No. 254,301. (No model.)

To all whom may concern:

Beit known that we, ALVIN S. HAINES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Slatington, in the county of Lehigh and State ofPennsylvania, and WILLIAM BREIDENBACH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, inthe county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMail-Bags, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a mailbag which can be openedand closed with great speed and facility, which will be light andflexible, and which will aiford security to its contents.

The invention relates to a mail-bag the 1 vided with a sliding strapwhich projects at opposite sides' of the bag, in connection withmechanism, as hereinafter claimed, whereby the engagement of the boltswith the staples and the automatic locking thereof may be effected by asimplejerk or pull with one hand at one end of the strap, and whereby,after the key has been turned in the lock, the bolts may be releasedfrom the staples by a similar jerk at the other end of the strap.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a mailbagconstructed in accordance with this invention, showing the fasteningdevices in locked position. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, on an enlargedscale, through the upper portion of the mail-bag and through the lockthereof. Fig. 3 is a front view, partly in section, of a portion of theupper part of this improved mail-bag, showing the bolts of the slidingstrap withdrawn from the staples, leaving the bag free to be opened.Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the sliding strap provided with thebolts for engaging the staples and with the catch for engaging thetumblers of the lock. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of a portion of thebag, showing the label-frame and the guard therefor on the slidingstrap, the strap being in locked position. a similar view to Fig. 5, thestrap being in unlocked position.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in thedifferent iigures.

The body of this improved mail bag or pouch, compris-ing the frontlOandthe back 11, is constructed of suitable flexible material, preferablyof leather, in any desired size and shape. The closing-flap 12 isattached to and preferably integral with the back 11, and is adapted tofold over the front to close the mouth of the bag. The body of the bagand the flap may be re-enforced and riveted in the usual manner. Staples13, at ,suitable distances apart, are attached to the back of the bag,said back at this point being composed of two layers.

VThe staples are respectively provided at their heels with metallicplates 14., which are placed between the layers of the back and rivetedthereto. Any equivalent means may be adopted for fastening the staplesto the bag. The front 10 is provided with slots 15 oppo site thestaples. The flap 12 is composedof two layers of material, forming apocket, both layers being provided with slots 16, registering with theslots 15 of the front of the bag. The inner layer of the Hap ispreferably integral with the outer layer, being folded thereon. Theedges of the slots in the body or Iiap, or both, may be re-enforced bysheet-metal eyes 17. Re-enforcing strips 18, of flexible material orthick leather, are inserted between the layers of the flap at-the upperand lower edges of the pocket. This pocket has openings 40 in itsopposite ends. A fasteningstrap, 19, is disposed and slides within thepocket of the flap and projects through the openings 40 Vat oppositeends thereof, said strap being preferably provided at its ends withmetal rings 20 and 21, respectively. 'Ihis strap is constructed ofexible material, preferably leather, and provided with a seriesv ofbolts, 22, which project laterally from the strap. The upper edge ofthis strap rests against the upper reenforcing strip 18, which latterserves as a guide for the strap. 4

The bolts 22 are preferably constructed as Fig. 6 is shown in LettersPatent of the United States eted to the sliding strap by'ineans ofrivets which pass through the attaching-plate thereof and through thestrap. Each bolt in said patent is recessed to receive the staples, theinner edge of the recess being iiush with the lower edge of the strap.As thus constructed, the strap is solid throughout, excepting the smallperforations for the rivets, and consequently.

is strong and durable. In caseabolt gets broken it can be readilyreplaced by another of. similar construction.

Vhen the bolts are constructed as described, they can be arranged neartogether on the strap, so that a comparatively large number of lockingstaples and bolts can be used on a single bag, thus increasing thesecurity of the pouch.

' A lock, 23, is attached to the folding flap 12, preferably near theupper left-hand corner thereof, being fastened thereto in any suitablemanner-for instance, by rivets or bolts 24, passing through the case ofthe lock and through the outer layer of said nap, and at the upper edgeof the case through both layers thereof and through the upper reenforcing strip 18.

A series of tumblers, 25, are pivoted within the case of the lock on the.stud 26, and a series of springs, 27, attached at one end to saidtumblers, resting against the upper side of the case, and bearing attheir opposite ends upon said tuinblers, tend to hold the latter innormal locked position. Each of these tuniblers is provided with alongitudinal slot, 28, and with a notch, 29, at the inner end of saidslot. Each of these tumblersis also preferably provided with a notch,29, at the inner end of said slot opposite the notch 29.

The bottom plate, 30, of the lockcase isprovided with a longitudinalslot, 31, and with interior guide-Hanges, 32, adjacent to said slot.

The sliding strap 19 is provided with a block, 33, attached thereto, andwith a plate, 34, on said block and integral therewith, if preferred.The block 33 slides in the slot 31 of the bottom plate, and the plate 34slides on the interior of the case between the guide-fianges 32. A stud,35, projects from the plate 34 and moves in the slots 28 of the tumblersand engages the notches 29 therein, serving as a catch for locking thesliding strap. The notches 29 are of different depths in the severaltumblers,which latter are interchangeable and constitute apermutation-lock. rlhe key 36 is provided with wards of differentheight, which engage the tuinblers and lift each a sufficient distanceto relieve the stud 35 from its notch 29. The notches 29L help to guardthe lock against picking. The plate 34 is shorter than the lockease, andthe opposite ends thereof abut against the ends of the case and serve asstops for the strap when the latter is pulled in either direction. Theattaching-plates of those bolts 22 which are located beneath the lockare preferably integral, as shown in Fig. 4.

A label-holder, 36, is attached to the closing-flap 12 opposite thesliding strap 19, and preferably at the right-hand end of said flap. Thelabel-holder is open at its outer end, through which the label 37 isinserted.

A guard, 38, for closing the open end of the label-holder is attached tothe sliding strap 19. As shown, this guard comprises an attachingplateriveted to the strap and an outwardlyprojecting angular liange,whichshuts over the open end of the labelliolder when the strap is closed andlocked.

The operation is as follows: To close the bag, the postal clerk, afterplacing the addresslabel in the label-holder, simply swings theclosing-flap 12 into closed position against the front of the bag andgives a jerk or pull on the ring 20 at the left-hand end of the slidingstrap 19. By this simple jerk, which can be effected with one hand, thebolts are thrust into the staples, the strap locked in position, and theopen end of the label-holder closed. To open the bag,the clerk insertsthe key in the lock, turns it a half-revolution, and gives a jerk orpull on the ring 21 at the right-hand end of the strap. This pull of thestrap simultaneously retracts the bolts from the staples and opensthelabcl-holder for a change of the address-label.

Ve claim- 1. The combination, with a bag-body, of a series of staplesattached thereto, a closinglap provided with slots for said staples andwith openings at its opposite ends, a sliding strap extending withinsaid tlap and projecting through said openings at opposite sides of thebag, a series of bolts attached to said strap for engaging said staples,a eat-ch connected to said strap, and alocking mechanism for engagingsaid catch, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a bag-body, of a series of staples attachedthereto, a closingiiap provided with slots for said staples and withopeningsat its opposite ends, a sliding strap extending within said apand projecting through said openings at opposite sides of the bag, aseries of bolts attached to said strap for engaging said staples, acatch connected to said strap, and a lock having a series of pivotedtumblers provided with slots and notches for engaging said catch,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a bag-body, of a series of staples attachedthereto, a closinglap provided with slots for said staples and withopenings at its opposite ends, a sliding strap extending within saidflap and projecting through said openings at opposite sides of the bag,a series of bolts attached to said strap IOO for engaging said staples,a lock-case attached to said flap and provided With a slot in itsbottoni, a catch connected to said strap and projecting into said case,and a locking mechanism within said case for engaging said catch,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a bag-body, of a series of staples attachedthereto, a closingap provided with slots for said staples and withopenings -at its opposite ends, a sliding strap extending Within saidflap and projecting through said openings at opposite sides of the bag,a series of bolts attached to said strap for engaging said staples, alock-case attached to said a-p and provided with a slot in its bottom, ablock on said sliding strap Within said slot, a plate attached to saidblock and sliding Within said case, a stud attached to said plate, andlocking mechanism for engaging said stud, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the closing-flap, of a loclccase provided witha longitudinal slot inits bottom plate and With guide-flanges adjacentto said slot, a locking-strap Within said ap, a plate connected to saidstrap and sliding Within said case between said flanges, a catchconnected to said plate, and locking mechanism for engaging said catch,substantially as described.

ALVIN S. HAINES. VILLIAM` BREIDENBACH.

Witnesses for Haines:

EDWARD F. SOHERTZINGER, JAMES O. HAINEs. Witnesses for Breidenbach:HENRY A. KooNs, MARTIN KooNs.

